Chapter 97 Chapter 97

Chapter 97 Chapter 97
Elorai.

I stand up from my seat, ambling toward the door, ignoring the telltale soreness between my thighs and hoping they don't notice how I'm favoring one leg over the other.

When I arrive at my room, I make a beeline to the wardrobe and pick out some clothes that would be suitable for a date, dropping them on the bed.

Then I reach for my bag and draw a pheromone blocker as well as some syringes, administering the dose to myself.

Wincing slightly, I press my lips together, watching as the neon liquid disappears into my bloodstream, leaving behind tiny fireworks.

I clean up the area and dispose of the waste, then return to the clothes on the bed, staring at them.

I know I should pick them up and return, but for some reason I start dragging my feet, suddenly feeling anxious.

“Are you alright?” Ronan asks, his voice breaking the silence.

I jump, startled, and find him leaning against the hallway threshold, arms folded and brows furrowed.

“Yeah...” I nod, hurriedly reaching for the clothes and pressing them against my chest, using them as a shield of some sort.

“You were staring into space for a moment,” he adds, not sounding convinced.

“How long have you been standing there?” I ask instead.

He shrugs. “Long enough.”

His gaze drops to the clothes in my hands. “You've picked out your dress for the evening.”

“Yes,” I answer, walking toward him.

He pulls away from the threshold, towering over me. I hold his gaze for a moment before looking away and walking past him, heading back to their room.

When I arrive, Knox is nowhere to be found and Lucas has gone back to the room.

Ronan closes the door behind me and then heads to the kitchen, where there's a wine counter. He pours himself a drink before moving to a corner of the room.

Which leaves me alone in the living room area, the television turned on in front of me and no idea what to do with myself.

A part of me wants to ask how they can be so comfortable with this new arrangement, but I haven't quite developed the confidence for such a vulnerable question, so I just keep my mouth shut.

My eyes keep drifting to the clock on the wall, and I can't wait for the boat cruise.

I'm watching some shows on the television when a thought crosses my mind.

“Can I call Lauren? I want to know how she is. It's been quite a while since I've spoken with her, and we've been gone for days now,” I announce, and they all glance at me.

“Lauren is fine,” Lucas answers, walking toward me. “We communicate with her regularly, but the latter is just knee-deep in whatever research she's conducting right now. She doesn't care much for anything else.”

“Oh...” I trail off, not knowing what to say to that.

Lucas glances at me, and I turn away at the innate ability of him being able to see through me.

“Do you still want to speak with her?” he asks, and I shake my head.

“Perhaps... later. I can't wait for the boat cruise,” I say, in an attempt to change the subject.

Lucas nods, but as usual, he doesn't look too convinced.

The time for the boat cruise finally rolls in, and we get dressed and head out.

It's a lot of fun, I won't lie—being on a boat, speeding through the water and having drinks and snacks—but no matter how hard I try, I can't relax and enjoy the experience.

I'm constantly hyper-aware of the alphas around me, reading too much into their words and actions, looking for things that aren't there.

As the sun sets and darkness creeps across the sky, I come to a haunting realization.

Am I acting like this because I've grown feelings for the alphas?

Or worse still, have I fallen in love with them?
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After the boat cruise and another night in the city, we all head back home, where we find Lauren waiting for us, a huge smile on her face, her body vibrating with excitement.

The second the car rolls into the garage, I jump out of it and launch into her arms, giggling as she lifts me off my feet and twirls me around.

“Lo!!! I've missed you!” she cries out, rubbing my back excitedly before settling me on the ground.

“I've missed you as well...” I answer, gripping her cheeks and staring into her eyes.

She bursts into gales of laughter then, pulling at my cheeks while the alphas walk past us, amused expressions on their faces.

“Um... welcome back too... the Nacklethorn alphas,” she greets as an afterthought, glancing at them.

They acknowledge the greeting with a nod of their heads, their steps slowing, if only slightly.

“Thank you. We see you've reunited with your best friend. We'll be inside,” he throws over his shoulder.

Lauren blushes, squeezing my arms while I try to hold back a giggle.

They all head inside, leaving us at the porch. Lauren turns to me, an animated expression on her face.

“So... how did your date—or should I say dates—go? I need details of what went down!” she murmurs excitedly, leaning toward me.

I grin back at her. “I'll tell you, but first I need to freshen up. It was quite the journey back.”

I say this, and she nods eagerly.

“Of course. Sorry for hounding you here. Come in...” she says and opens the door for us. We walk into the living room area and I breathe a sigh of relief at the familiar sight that greets me.

“I already made something for you to eat. You can go freshen up and I'll bring it to your room.” Lauren adds, standing beside me.

“Aww... that's so kind of you.” I say, glancing at her, my voice filled with gratitude.

I mutter, and she chuckles, waving it off.

“Oh, please... it's hardly anything. I was bored out of my mind sitting in this huge house, only having experiments to keep me company. So bear it in mind, we'll be talking a lot. So run along now. I'll be meeting you in a minute.”

I let out a huff, rolling my eyes. “Whatever you say, boss.”